50 Best Community Colleges of 2021
The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top rated community colleges offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.
What is a community college? A community college is a public two-year college that awards associate degrees as well as some professional certifications. Community colleges typically attract students drawn from the surrounding region. Top community colleges tend to offer a wide selection of associate degrees spanning a variety of disciplines. Community colleges can be especially attractive to students interested in getting an affordable start on a four-year degree. So too, these schools appeal to students seeking professional two-year degrees designed to provide technical and practical skills for immediate entrance into the job market.
We’ve identified 839 community colleges in the US. In order to be included in this list of the best community colleges, a school needs to satisfy the following three conditions:
- It must be fully accredited.
- It must have a student body of at least 1,000 students.
- It must primarily provide two-year, or associate, degree programs (along with certificate credentials in most cases).
How do we determine the best community colleges?
The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. For associate degree rankings, we rank the best two-year colleges based upon what we call “Concentrated Influence.” Concentrated Influence takes the combined influence score of a college’s top academic influencers (including faculty and alums) and divides it by the school’s total number of students.
Using concentrated influence gives small and mid-sized schools an opportunity to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger schools. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, whose influence in absolute terms may be bigger, will nonetheless score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights community colleges that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size.
If you are serious about finding the best community colleges for an associate’s degree or professional certification, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence.
Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking which is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.
Find out more about our ranking methodology here.
The Best Community Colleges in the U.S.
- #1Anne Arundel Community College#566 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$8K
Student body
8K
Arnold, MDView profile
What is Anne Arundel Community College known for?
Anne Arundel Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Law
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Business
- Medical
- Sociology
- Education
- Engineering
Most Influential Alumni
- Robin P. Newhouse professor of nursing
- Diane Black, United States Representative
- David G. Boschert, former member of Maryland House of Delegates
- Douglas B. Byerly, musician
- Robert A. Costa, member of Maryland House of Delegates, 2003–2013
- Brian Crecente editor of Kotaku, 2004–present
- Steven Thomas Fischer, two-time Emmy nominated film producer
- Ronald Malfi horror novelist
- C. Edward Middlebrooks, former Maryland State Senator, 1995–1999
- Robert R. Neall (1971), member of Maryland House of Delegates, 1975–1987. Anne Arundel County Executive, 1990–1994
- Michael Orzechowski, playwright
- Travis Pastrana motocross racer
- Edward Snowden attended but did not graduate
- Darrell Williams, former member of White House Communications Agency, (1991-1997 and 1998–2004)
- #2Roxbury Community College#3878 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$6K
Student body
1K
Roxbury Crossing, MAView profile
What is Roxbury Community College known for?
Roxbury Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Mathematics
- Medical
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Nursing
- Biology
- Computer Science
- #3Eastern Maine Community College#3212 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
2K
Bangor, MEView profile
What is Eastern Maine Community College known for?
Eastern Maine Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Medical
- #4Springfield Technical Community College#2583 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
4K
Springfield, MAView profile
What is Springfield Technical Community College known for?
Springfield Technical Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Education
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
- #5College of Marin#1175 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
3K
Kentfield, CAView profile
What is College of Marin known for?
College of Marin's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Computer Science
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Literature
- Medical
- Communications
- Biology
- Engineering
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #6Los Angeles City College#668 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
9K
Los Angeles, CAView profile
What is Los Angeles City College known for?
Los Angeles City College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Business
- Communications
- Chemistry
- Political Science
- Medical
- Psychology
- Engineering
- Sociology
- Social Work
Most Influential Alumni
- #7Lamar Institute of Technology#3964 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
2K
Beaumont, TXView profile
What is Lamar Institute of Technology known for?
Lamar Institute of Technology's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Political Science
- #8Kennedy–King College#1452 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$9K
Student body
2K
Chicago, ILView profile
What is Kennedy–King College known for?
Kennedy–King College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Communications
- Biology
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #9West Kentucky Community and Technical College#3793 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
3K
Paducah, KYView profile
What is West Kentucky Community and Technical College known for?
West Kentucky Community and Technical College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Medical
- Criminal Justice
- #10Lamar State College–Port Arthur#4097 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$6K
Student body
1K
Port Arthur, TXView profile
What is Lamar State College–Port Arthur known for?
Lamar State College–Port Arthur's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Communications
- Education
- #11Montgomery College#1340 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$10K
Student body
15K
Rockville, MDView profile
What is Montgomery College known for?
Montgomery College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- Nursing
- Medical
- Criminal Justice
- Business
- Computer Science
- Education
- Engineering
Most Influential Alumni
- #12Mitchell Community College#4083 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
2K
Statesville, NCView profile
What is Mitchell Community College known for?
Mitchell Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Medical
- Social Work
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #13Pulaski Technical College#4146 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
4K
North Little Rock, ARView profile
What is Pulaski Technical College known for?
Pulaski Technical College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Business
- Computer Science
- Education
- #14Northern Essex Community College#4297 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
3K
Haverhill, MAView profile
What is Northern Essex Community College known for?
Northern Essex Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Social Work
- Medical
- Computer Science
- Business
- Education
- Biology
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
- #15Eastern Arizona College#1032 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
4K
Thatcher, AZView profile
What is Eastern Arizona College known for?
Eastern Arizona College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Chemistry
- History
- Anthropology
- Literature
- Earth Sciences
- Sociology
- Biology
- Business
- Physics
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #16Massachusetts Bay Community College#4879 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
3K
Wellesley Hills, MAView profile
What is Massachusetts Bay Community College known for?
Massachusetts Bay Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Social Work
- Literature
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Education
- Communications
- Nursing
- #17County College of Morris#3102 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$9K
Student body
6K
Randolph, NJView profile
What is County College of Morris known for?
County College of Morris's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Nursing
- Education
- Business
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
- #18Bunker Hill Community College#2515 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
8K
Boston, MAView profile
What is Bunker Hill Community College known for?
Bunker Hill Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Medical
- Criminal Justice
- Biology
- Engineering
- Literature
- Communications
- History
- Social Work
- Chemistry
Most Influential Alumni
- #19Chabot College#1441 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
8K
Hayward, CAView profile
What is Chabot College known for?
Chabot College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- Literature
- Business
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Medical
- Chemistry
- Political Science
- Criminal Justice
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #20Holyoke Community College#3911 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
4K
Holyoke, MAView profile
What is Holyoke Community College known for?
Holyoke Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Social Work
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Business
- Education
- Engineering
- #21Capital Community College#6131 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
2K
Hartford, CTView profile
What is Capital Community College known for?
Capital Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Nursing
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Literature
- Biology
- Political Science
- Education
- Medical
- Communications
- #22Columbia College#5438 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
1K
Sonora, CAView profile
What is Columbia College known for?
Columbia College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Biology
- Social Work
- Medical
- Earth Sciences
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #23BGSU Firelands#5354 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
1K
Huron, OHView profile
What is BGSU Firelands known for?
BGSU Firelands's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Engineering
- Business
- #24Brookdale Community College#2243 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$8K
Student body
9K
Lincroft, NJView profile
What is Brookdale Community College known for?
Brookdale Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Social Work
- Business
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Law
- Education
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
- #25Bossier Parish Community College#3508 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
4K
Bossier City, LAView profile
What is Bossier Parish Community College known for?
Bossier Parish Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Medical
- Business
- Education
- #26Los Angeles Valley College#1585 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
10K
Valley Glen, CAView profile
What is Los Angeles Valley College known for?
Los Angeles Valley College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Communications
- Chemistry
- Literature
- History
- Economics
- Medical
- Engineering
- Nursing
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #27Butler Community College#2102 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
6K
El Dorado, KSView profile
What is Butler Community College known for?
Butler Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
- Business
- Psychology
- Education
- Mathematics
- Nursing
- Biology
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #28Community College of Beaver County#6238 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$11K
Student body
2K
Monaca, PAView profile
What is Community College of Beaver County known for?
Community College of Beaver County's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Biology
- Literature
- Education
- Engineering
- Medical
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #29De Anza College#1389 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$2K
Student body
15K
Cupertino, CAView profile
What is De Anza College known for?
De Anza College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Business
- Mathematics
- Communications
- Economics
- Political Science
- Literature
- History
- Education
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
- #30Western Piedmont Community College#7396 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
1K
Morganton, NCView profile
What is Western Piedmont Community College known for?
Western Piedmont Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Medical
- Computer Science
- Education
- #31Sacramento City College#1570 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
13K
Sacramento, CAView profile
What is Sacramento City College known for?
Sacramento City College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Philosophy
- Psychology
- Literature
- Medical
- Earth Sciences
- Chemistry
- History
- Anthropology
- Mathematics
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #32City College of San Francisco#981 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$2K
Student body
15K
San Francisco, CAView profile
What is City College of San Francisco known for?
City College of San Francisco's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Earth Sciences
- Social Work
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- History
- Literature
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #33Nassau Community College#1342 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$6K
Student body
14K
Garden City, NYView profile
What is Nassau Community College known for?
Nassau Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Communications
- Medical
- Business
- Computer Science
- Social Work
- Criminal Justice
- Nursing
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #34West Valley College#2266 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
5K
Saratoga, CAView profile
What is West Valley College known for?
West Valley College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Chemistry
- Medical
- History
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #35Santa Fe Community College#5377 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$2K
Student body
3K
Santa Fe, NMView profile
What is Santa Fe Community College known for?
Santa Fe Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Physics
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
- Law
- Computer Science
- Education
- Social Work
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #36Fullerton College#1161 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
15K
Fullerton, CAView profile
What is Fullerton College known for?
Fullerton College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Biology
- Earth Sciences
- Computer Science
- Religious Studies
- Engineering
- Chemistry
- Communications
- History
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #37Bronx Community College#2036 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
7K
Bronx, NYView profile
What is Bronx Community College known for?
Bronx Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Engineering
- Physics
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- Literature
- Education
- Medical
- Social Work
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
- #38Merritt College#2903 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
4K
Oakland, CAView profile
What is Merritt College known for?
Merritt College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Business
- Communications
- Mathematics
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Medical
- Social Work
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
- #39Trinity Valley Community College#3167 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
4K
Athens, TXView profile
What is Trinity Valley Community College known for?
Trinity Valley Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Business
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Education
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #40Lassen College#7168 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
1K
Susanville, CAView profile
What is Lassen College known for?
Lassen College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Literature
- Medical
- Biology
- Criminal Justice
- History
Most Influential Alumni
- #41Northwest Mississippi Community College#2367 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
6K
Senatobia, MSView profile
What is Northwest Mississippi Community College known for?
Northwest Mississippi Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Medical
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #42Mesa Community College#2403 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$2K
Student body
11K
Mesa, AZView profile
What is Mesa Community College known for?
Mesa Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Medical
- Communications
- Business
- Nursing
- Education
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #43North Dakota State College of Science#5004 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
2K
Wahpeton, NDView profile
What is North Dakota State College of Science known for?
North Dakota State College of Science's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Biology
Most Influential Alumni
- #44Scottsdale Community College#3581 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$2K
Student body
5K
Scottsdale, AZView profile
What is Scottsdale Community College known for?
Scottsdale Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Business
- Nursing
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #45Richland Community College#7409 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$6K
Student body
2K
Decatur, ILView profile
What is Richland Community College known for?
Richland Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Nursing
- Medical
- Education
- Business
- #46LaGuardia Community College#1911 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
12K
Long Island City, NYView profile
What is LaGuardia Community College known for?
LaGuardia Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- Nursing
- Literature
- Engineering
- Psychology
- Medical
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Social Work
Most Influential Alumni
- #47Central Wyoming College#4927 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
1K
Riverton, WYView profile
What is Central Wyoming College known for?
Central Wyoming College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Earth Sciences
- Nursing
- Communications
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- Criminal Justice
- Psychology
- Education
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #48Lewis and Clark Community College#4347 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$10K
Student body
3K
Godfrey, ILView profile
What is Lewis and Clark Community College known for?
Lewis and Clark Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Engineering
- Communications
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #49Cañada College#3799 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
3K
Redwood City, CAView profile
What is Cañada College known for?
Cañada College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Physics
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Communications
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Computer Science
- History
- Biology
Most Influential Alumni
- #50Baltimore City Community College#3724 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
3K
Baltimore, MDView profile
What is Baltimore City Community College known for?
Baltimore City Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Medical
- Business
- Social Work
- Engineering
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
Find the Best Community Colleges Near You
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